Hands-On With The Nintendo Wii U: Is It An iPad Competitor?

We play Nintendo's new touch-screen console at E3 and consider its features.

Sitting in the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on Tuesday for Nintendo's Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) press conference, I had undoubtedly the same reaction to Nintendo's new console as many of you watching live streams and reading the ensuing tweets: What the hell? My second thought couldn't have been terribly unique, either -- with that white bezel, touchscreen, and front-facing camera, I couldn't help but think that the controller looked just like a white iPad 2 with buttons and directional inputs on the sides.

Holding the actual controller in my hand a day later at the L.A. Convention Center, it certainly didn't feel like an iPad 2 -- it's thicker and made of plastic, and of course, it has to be within range of the console (attached to a television) to serve any purpose. As further details have trickled out of E3, it's clear that the Wii U and its wildly unique controller are not meant to supplant the iPad or tablets in general, as Nintendo's device is the around-the-house sort and not likely to offer significant range. But with a large, sharp touch interface and motion controls in the mix, some of the gaming possibilities may draw parallels with those of the iPad 2.

For those who missed the news, the Wii U is Nintendo's new home console, delivering significantly enhanced visuals and 1080p high definition output. While compatible with all current Wii games and accessories, the upcoming system certainly stands apart from the original Wii and all other home platforms through its one-of-a-kind controller. Each system needs just one such controller -- other players can use Wii Remotes -- and the device features a high-resolution 6.2-inch touchscreen, an accelerometer and gyroscope for motion controls, a built-in camera, two analog nubs and a directional pad, and both front and shoulder buttons. It's a behemoth of an all-in-one controller. And you can stream full games from the console to the controller if you want to use the television for something else or play in another room around the house.

The system is expected out later on in 2012 at an undisclosed price point, and while several games have been announced -- including entries in the Super Smash Bros., Pikmin, Assassin's Creed, and Tekken franchises -- Nintendo is primarily showing tech demos at E3. Some are just for show, including an impressive rendering of a could-be Legend of Zelda game that lets players change the lighting and perspective as Link battles a massive mechanical spider.

Others are playable and actually pretty fun, though. Chase Mii is the surprising standout in the bunch, as the game lets four players with Wii Remotes on the television attempt to hunt down and tackle a fifth player using the Wii U controller in an elaborate game of virtual tag. Battle Mii is another interesting option, which lets two ground-based players work together to blast a spaceship -- commanded by the third player on the Wii U controller -- out of the sky, while the more maneuverable ship looks to similarly defeat his opponents.

Controlling the ship with a combination of motion-controlled aiming and dual-analog movement was admittedly awkward in my brief demo, but it was also empowering as you have full control of the ship in your hands while your counterparts are bound to the television. It's a perfect metaphor: you're free floating while they're tethered, much as it is with the Wii U controller and the traditional television setup.

Much as it will be with Sony's upcoming PlayStation Vita hardware -- which also packs a touch screen (and a separate back touch panel), motion controls, and standard buttons -- the Wii U controller offers up so many possibilities that great developers will no doubt devise wondrous and awe-inspiring ways to bring game experiences to life on the platform. But the pairing of the television also unlocks additional gaming and lifestyle possibilities, as evidenced by demos that show a user browsing the internet on the controller and flipping a webpage to the television for friends to view, or seeing a golf ball appear on the screen as the controller lays on the ground and you take a virtual cut with the Wii Remote.

The iPad 2 has its own television-enabled experiences via HDMI output, including Real Racing 2 HD (which will soon offer wireless output to Apple TV via AirPlay) and the forthcoming FIFA 12, but the television is ultimately what sets the Wii U experience apart from Apple's tablet. Smaller, standalone games are planned for the controller alone -- an Othello-like multiplayer game was shown -- and chances are many of these will feel like iOS offerings. But it's the pairing of the elaborate controller and seemingly very capable hardware that will offer the Wii U's most distinctive experiences, with production values (and price points to match) well outside the grandest iPad games.

So the Wii U controller is not just an iPad 2 with buttons. It's an interesting and potentially exciting piece of tech. And if you're a die-hard video game fan, chances are you won't want to be without both for long once Nintendo's hardware debuts next year.